College baseball has become a landscape marked by realignments and heightened expectations. At first, Stanford’s move to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for the 2024-25 season looked like a curveball few on the West Coast could see coming. However, even with conference play still on the horizon, head coach David Esquer’s squad has been nothing short of stellar to open the year. The Cardinals enter the final week of February boasting an 8-0 record, having swept Cal State Fullerton on the road and Washington at Sunken Diamond in Stanford, California.
While it is easy to focus on the streak of high-scoring wins, the real feat is how the Cardinals have prepared for life on both sides of the country — as extended travel, rigid academic demands and a fresh crop of opponents require far more than pure talent.
“We’re traveling on a Wednesday now, which is typically your day to get the most work in usually. It’s the day before a series. So for us, we’ve taken our probably most intensive practice day, or the one that we would probably look towards to get the most out of a practice workout, and now it’s a travel day,” Esquer said. “That’s going to be new and you’re right, the back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. I wish I knew what that was going to be like, but I don’t.”
One notable aspect of Stanford’s early success is the roster continuity. Returning veterans anchor a lineup that’s outscored opponents 71-39 through eight games, easing the integration of younger talent. Pitchers have reliably kept scores manageable, while the offense has shown a knack for explosive innings. In a year where the Cardinals will soon face nationally recognized programs like Wake Forest, North Carolina and Clemson, establishing a cohesive identity before the grind of ACC play is critical.
“Our biggest ally, even though last year was going to be rough, was going to be 365 days. That a year later, we were going to be closer to getting back to where we were and closer to having a solid club that could win. So even though last year was disappointing as far as just the outcome, it was not unexpected in any regard. We tried to make it as much of a learning experience as we could,” Esquer said. “I mean, our motto a year ago was: we’re gonna win or learn, right? There is no lose.”
Travel remains the most tangible hurdle for the newest ACC member. Whether boarding flights for a three-game series in South Carolina or braving the occasional West Coast red-eye upon return, maintaining physical and mental freshness could define Stanford’s season. Staying in peak form will be critical down the stretch if the team hopes to return to its glory days of baseball.
“I think we’re on the road for three of the four weeks in May. That’s going to be a challenge with classes. And we’re hoping that the faculty and the academic side of it here can work with us a little bit, because I think, for instance, that the classes that are taped or on Zoom and accessible to our players, they’ll do fine. They’ll spend the time, they’ll stay up with the material and be able to be fine,” Esquer said.
Stanford now hosts Xavier in a four-game series in what will likely serve as another tune-up for the gauntlet to come. While the Cardinals’ perfect start offers hope, the conference’s reputation and depth quickly dispels any illusions of coasting through the ACC slate. Esquer has urged his players to stay grounded: the transition is only beginning, and the real tests will arrive in a matter of weeks.
“When you go to Virginia and Clemson and North Carolina, you could easily face that quality of competition to try to get to Omaha. So, that’s the challenge: that we’re playing quality competition. We’re just traveling cross country to do it now,” Esquer said.
If the opening stretch is any indication, though, Stanford’s transition into the ACC has the potential to reshape the national conversation around college baseball. A perennial powerhouse among Pacific teams is now poised to challenge the East Coast’s established elite. Whether the Cardinals can sustain this level of play all spring remains to be seen, but for now, their statement is unmistakable: they’re ready to embrace the ACC challenge, one cross-country flight at a time.
